[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 179 (Tuesday, October 31, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NOMINATION OF JACOB J. LEW

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now on Jack Lew, it is going to be a busy 
day here in the Senate. Before the end of the day, the U.S. Senate will 
confirm Jack Lew as the next Ambassador to Israel. For the information 
of Senators, we will have a cloture vote on Mr. Lew's nomination this 
morning, with a final vote on confirmation in the early afternoon. I 
urge my colleagues to vote in favor of sending an American Ambassador 
to Israel today.
  With everything happening in Israel right now, confirming Jack Lew at 
this moment will be one of the most important and consequential 
nomination votes the Senate has taken in a long time. The need to 
confirm Mr. Lew is plain and irrefutable. Israel in crisis. America 
needs to stand with her, and a most urgent and obvious step would be 
ensuring we have an ambassador in place.
  As the Senate takes this important vote later today, I want to 
applaud the remarkable team at the U.S. Embassy in Israel, all of whom 
have done exceptional work under the most difficult circumstances. When 
I went to Israel with my Senate colleagues, I got to see the Embassy's 
incredible work up close, especially the outstanding Charge d'Affaires. 
So I thank them all for their dedication in these hard times. But it 
was clear when we went there that Israel needs an ambassador from the 
United States, especially at this time. So I hope we will get as large 
a vote for Mr. Lew as possible.
  I want to thank my colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee who approved Mr. Lew on a 12-to-9 basis. Mr. Lew has a 
strong, long proven record as a public servant and a ferocious ally of 
Israel, and it will help send a powerful message of support to Israel 
to have this appointment filled ASAP.

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